“Operation Diabolo”, an
international customs operation led by OLAF, seized 135 million counterfeit
branded cigarettes and 557,000 other counterfeit products

"Operation Diabolo", a joint international customs
operation of the 27 EU Member States, with the participation of Interpol,
Europol and the World Customs Organization, was organised in February by the
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) on behalf of the European Commission. Nearly
135 million counterfeit branded cigarettes and 557,000 other counterfeit
products like textiles, footwear, toys, furniture, suitcases and watches were
seized. In cigarettes alone, the operation helped avoid potential losses of
approximately 220 million euros in customs duties and taxes for the European
Community and Member States' budgets. The final results of the operation are
presented today in Cologne in cooperation with the German Customs Investigations
Office (Zollkriminalamt). Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas will present the
results of the operation at a press conference in Brussels on Monday 23 April
2007.

"In today's world smuggled goods are more often than not counterfeit. Customs
operations therefore go beyond the classical safeguarding of revenues for public
coffers: they also protect the health and safety of consumers and the interests
of legitimate business. This is especially true for cigarettes, the primary
target of Operation Diabolo", emphasized Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the
European Commission with responsibility for administrative affairs, audit and
anti-fraud. "Trade facilitation and effective customs enforcement are two sides
of the same coin. This is why I particularly welcome the first attempts by ASEM
countries to participate in this joint operation."

Branded cigarettes and other counterfeit products originating from Asian
ports were the target of the joint customs operation, codenamed "Diabolo",
carried out in February 2007. Diabolo, a maritime operation, was a resounding
success in terms of the coordination of operations at EU level. Its impressive
results are presented today at a press conference in Cologne by OLAF, the German
Customs Investigations Office (Zollkriminalamt) and the
customs administrations of several Member States:

20 of the 67 containers carried a total of 134,448,000 counterfeit
cigarettes.

220 million euros is the estimated potential loss that the budgets of the
European Community and its Member States (customs duties and taxes) would have
had to shoulder, but this could be avoided thanks to the success of Operation
Diabolo.

Operation Diabolo was commissioned by the Member States of
ASEM
(Asia Europe Meeting[1]) It
involved over 300 customs officers across the EU and counted on the support of
Interpol, Europol and the World Customs Organization. The
customs authorities of the 27 Member States collaborated closely, under the
coordination of OLAF, by stepping up the exchange of information in order to
pinpoint flows of counterfeit goods in ordinary commercial transactions. Most
international EU ports were involved over the operational period. The operation
was directed by a team of 9 liaison officers from the Member States and OLAF
officials from the permanent technical support infrastructure for joint customs
operations set up at OLAF’s headquarters in Brussels. The fruitful
cooperation provided to OLAF by the competent authorities in Egypt and Israel
during the operational phase was very much appreciated.

A press conference with Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas is scheduled
for Monday, 23 April 2007, 12:15, in Brussels.

A technical briefing by senior OLAF representatives on OLAF's
responsibilities and activities in the area of customs will take place at 11:00
the same day.

A background MEMO with a list of the results of Operation Diabolo will be
available on Rapid on Monday 23 April 2007.An overview of joint customs
operations on the OLAF website: